Why Dolly Parton Marrying Carl Dean Was One Of The Most Rebellious Things She Ever Did

Posted by Aldo Pusey on Thursday, September 5, 2024

Highlights

  • Dolly Parton's lovable and strong-willed nature has contributed to her immense success.
  • Despite initial reluctance, Parton was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
  • Parton's defiance of her record label led to her marriage to Carl Dean.

During Dolly Parton's decades-long country music career, she has always seemed extremely lovable. At the same time, it has also been clear to anyone who has followed Parton over the years that she is fiercely independent and strong-willed.

Through a combination of being lovable, talented, powerful, and strong-willed, Parton has made a huge fortune for herself and others. However, some of the other people in Parton's life have been blown away by her rebellious nature including when she got married.

What Is Dolly Parton So Beloved?

When most people think about Dolly Parton, it is her music and movies that come to mind. However, some people who are more informed about Parton's story know that there are many amazing stories about the singer.

In recent years, there have been some headlines about Parton that have revealed how incredible she is. A perfect example of that is the fact that Parton attempted to turn down the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame feeling she didn't deserve induction. Despite that, Parton is so respected that she was inducted anyway.

More important than that, Parton has a long history of philanthropic efforts. Partially because of all the people Parton has helped, she has been labeled the world's best-loved celebrity.

Related: Did Dolly Parton's 11 Siblings Resent Her Fame? Here's The Complicated Truth About Their Relationship

If giving to charity and initially refusing an accolade she felt others deserved more wasn't enough, there are many more amazing facts about Parton. One example of that is the fact that Parton once turned down Elvis Presley. When Presley wanted to record "I Will Always Love You", Parton said no because he wanted half the publishing rights.

How about the fact that Parton stood up to the KKK. Every year, Parton holds an event to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community at Dollywood. When the KKK threatened her over the event, Parton refused to falter. "When it first started there were people giving us threats, I still get threats. But like I said, I'm in business. I just don't feel like I have to explain myself. I love everybody."

There also is the fact that the first cloned animal, a sheep named Dolly, was named after Parton. The list of interesting facts about Parton seems endless depending on how much research someone does.

Why Dolly Parton Getting Married Was An Actor Of Rebellion

Throughout music history, the major labels have often had an oversized amount of influence over the artists they sign. In many cases, that has meant that the labels have controlled the music that artists they work with have produced.

There have also been several much-talked-about instances of music labels controlling artist's personal lives. At the very least, the studios have forced artists to not talk about their romantic relationships in public.

The reason for that is the labels often believe that single musical artists will be more successful. The basis for that belief is the idea that fans are more likely to buy albums from artists they somehow think they may have a chance with.

During the '60s, Dolly Parton was affected by her label's desire for her to be single which was the start of a fascinating story.

Related: The Real Reason Dolly Parton Wears Long Sleeves And Gloves Has Nothing To Do With Wanting To Hide Her Tattoos

In 2018, Parton spoke to People about her longstanding relationship with her husband Carl Dean. At the time of that interview, Parton and Dean had been married for a truly impressive fifty-two years.

Despite how long Parton and Dean have been married, their relationship has never really been focused on much. A big portion of the reason for that is Dean has never been a regular at the red carpet events Parton has attended during her career.

Given how little the media has focused on Parton and Dean's relationship, her People interview was fascinating. A perfect example of that is what Parton revealed about what led to her and Dean walking down the aisle.

During the early phases of her People interview, Parton revealed some fascinating tidbits. Parton stated things like the key to her lasting marriage has been spending a lot of time apart and that the couple got McDonald's on their first date.

As amusing as those revelations are, they pale in comparison to what Parton revealed about when she got married. According to Parton, she and Dean had made plans to hold a big wedding until her music label stepped in.

When Parton's label heard about her planned wedding, they didn't want the publicity. As a result, Parton's label asked the musician to postpone her nuptials by a year. Since Parton isn't the kind of person tp take a demand like that lying down, the singer and Dean decided to elope instead.

Related: Dolly Parton Reveals She Won’t Tour Anymore, Slamming ‘Greedy Politicians’ While Promoting Her Latest Single

“We’d already sent out invitations and so I thought, ‘I ain’t waiting!’ We went that same weekend to Ringgold, Georgia in a little church. I had a little white dress and little flowers, and my mom went with me.”

While it is clear that Parton and Dean were happy they tied the knot, things didn't play out the way they wanted. Instead of throwing a major celebration, the couple was forced to have a small and understated ceremony without most of their loved ones.

As Parton explained to People during the same interview, she was never happy with how her wedding played out. As a result, Parton and Dean decided to renew their vows on the 50th anniversary of their wedding.

“I never really felt like I had the wedding that we really wanted. He got all dressed up and I got all dressed up. Fifty years is a long time for anything, and I felt that we needed to do something to commemorate this. It’s been a good 50 years and I don’t know how many more years we’ll have left.”

In the years since Dean and Parton renewed their vows, the country music legend has continued to celebrate her marriage. On rare occasions, Parton has posted photos of herself and Dean on social media from throughout their more than 56 years of marriage.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTErZ%2Bippeoe6S7zGibqKScrnqxrdGtpqdlmKrAo63NnWScmaKheqWxwKdkq52clsGqu82sn6KoXZuytrCMsKCtoF2iwrS1wmajmpqVoXw%3D